Good book-to-movie adaptations are very hard to find. There are films that turn out even better than the books. There are ones that slaughter the original material, but most of the movies are little more than good companions to the paper version. If you want to experience a really good one and you came across Love, Rosie, I’d tell you to keep looking.
Ang Buod:
Rosie (played by Lily Collins) and Alex (played by Sam Claflin) are the best of friends. Their childhood homes being right across each other only helped this uniquely intimate boy-girl friendship. Yun nga lang, puberty happened at with the added element of malisya, nagsimulang magbago ang dynamics ng kanilang pagkakaibigan. Dagdagan mo pa ng alcohol, freak accidents, an early pregnancy, at maraming bad timing, lalong naging magulo ang lahat. This movie follows their friendship-romance throughout the years.
Ang Maganda:
The movie had scenes that looked good. Even scenes with hard lighting and night scenes were beautifully lit and constructed.
Ang Pangit:
Every thing else. This is the type of movie that you just forget. The writing did not stand out. The acting did not turn the script into something more. This was just another Rom-Com sa mundo ng mga Rom-Com.
The amount of plot elements, twists and turns. Even if I didn’t know that this was based on a book before seeing it, I probably would still be able to deduce that it was dahil lang sa dami ng mga nangyari. Ang masama pa roon ay the storytelling, the screenplay, didn’t help at all.
Ang Paghuhusga:
This is a movie that is based on a book that makes you feel like you’re still reading a book. Now, I just have to emphasize that I’m not averse to books or reading. In fact, I find reading one of the best things to do in life. Pero watching a film and reading a book are two totally different experiences. Filmmakers should be fully aware of that and make adjustments accordingly.
This movie had a one-liner reputation as a “gay movie,” and though it did tackle that crucial part of Alan Turing’s life, that description did not do it justice. This movie is so much more.
This is a movie about the loneliness of genius, the healing salve of friendship, and man’s drive to achieve greatness regardless of the sacrifice it requires.
Ang Kuwento:
Based on the real life story of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing, the film portrays the nail-biting race against time by Turing and his brilliant team of code-breakers at Britain’s top-secret Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, during the darkest days of World War II. Written by Studio Canal
I dare not add anything to that summary written by Studio Canal because I want you, my dear reader, to experience this film firsthand.
Ang Maganda:
The actors. I wasn’t surprised to hear that the cast was nominated for the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Ensemble Cast. They didn’t just have the talented Benedict Cumberbatch/Sherlock (as Alan Turing). They also had the likes of Keira Knightley/Elizabeth Bennet (as Joan Clarke), Matthew Goode/Ozymandias (as Hugh Alexander), Charles Dance/Tywin Lannister (as Commander Denniston), and Mark Strong (as Stewart Menzies). Their chemistry as a cast was palpable. Truly, all of these brilliant actors gave their all to make this film as emotionally captivating as possible.
The tasteful writing. Alan Turing’s sexuality, his struggles with it, and what he had to suffer because of it, was media gold. In this day and age, writers gravitate toward this material and enjoy turning it into ticket sales. Take a look at 50 Shades of Grey. I doubt if they would consider sacrificing the controversial scenes to make way for character development. The screenplay writer, Graham Moore, did not indulge the unlearned audience’s tasteless interest in sex scenes. By expressing Alan’s homosexuality as a part of his character instead of its very definition, it was easier for the audience to focus on his work, his plight, and the cruelty of what he went through.
The cinematography and art direction. The colors used in this film were perfect and everything from what they wore to the props they used just added to the experience. Yes, I still would have been interested in this film if they opted to go for gray/black tones which was an easy choice for such a dramatic movie, but they were bold enough to use warmer tones like orange or red to draw the audience in. This also gave the colder tones on some of the last scenes more impact.
Ang Pangit:
I really can’t think of anything right now. It was just a really beautiful film.
Ang Paghuhusga:
This movie made me cry. They did a great job in turning Alan Turing into a three-dimensional character. A story like this could easily be turned into another “gay movie” that catered to Sherlock-Watson shippers, but they chose to turn it into a story of humanity and man’s varying definitions of it.
Dear Hollywood, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Please be very careful when you work with the classics. There are times when they work out, but this is definitely NOT one of those.
“It’s a hard-knock life for us.
It’s a hard-knock life for us!
‘Stead of treated, we get tricked
‘Stead of great films, we get sh..
scripts (really bad ones)”
It’s The Hard-Knock Life
(Movie-lover Edition)
I was actually looking forward to seeing this film. I thought that with the creative backing of talented people like Will Smith and Jay-Z (producers) and Sia (musical arranger), this would be a great contemporary take on the stage classic. What we got instead was an accidental parody of the original material.
Obvious ba na disappointed ako?
Ang Kuwento:
Academy Award® nominee A (Beasts of the Southern Wild) stars as Annie, a young, happy foster kid who’s also tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014. Originally left by her parents as a baby with the promise that they’d be back for her someday, it’s been a hard knock life ever since with her mean foster mom Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz). But everything’s about to change when the hard-nosed tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) – advised by his brilliant VP, Grace (Rose Byrne) and his shrewd and scheming campaign advisor, Guy (Bobby Cannavale) – makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in. Stacks believes he’s her guardian angel, but Annie’s self-assured nature and bright, sun-will-come-out-tomorrow outlook on life just might mean it’s the other way around.
Written by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Ang Maganda:
I guess I could say that the music was okay. It didn’t blow my mind, but I’m actually glad that they churned out pretty good updated versions of some of the songs. Hindi lahat, ha. I still think that Cameron Diaz has no business singing/shrieking in a musical film. Pero I enjoyed the updated version of It’s The Hard-knock Life.
Ang Pangit:
Tomorrow was such an iconic song and it also played a very important part in the story. I know they want to update it, but in doing the whole hip-hop arrangement, the song lost its power. I remember crying to the 1982 film’s scene where Annie sang Tomorrow. In this movie, wala lang. It was just another musical number.
Sandy was turned into a living prop. Sandy is just a really big part of the story and a very valuable companion to Annie. This version didn’t show just how smart Sandy is.
The nonsensical and uncharacteristic video montages which featured such random things as face-painting, candy-snatching, and Jamie Foxx pouring a giant fishbowl filled with gum balls on his head. Come on! Hindi ako entirely against video montages, okay? I just think that a semblance of realism is essential.
The story was not well written. The characters were not fully developed. They gave more time and importance to scenes that looked good instead of establishing the characters’ stories. Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) wasn’t as effective as Daddy Warbucks when it comes to showing how love can melt ice cold hearts. Simula palang mukha naman ay halata nang naaaliw siya kay Annie. Wala masyadong growth at change throughout the story.
Ang Paghuhusga:
I remember hearing somewhere that the Smiths produced this film mainly to give their kids a good time. Kung ganoon nga, then they probably achieved their goal. If you have kids over, mga pamangkin, kapitbahay, atbp. at gusto mo silang maupo for an hour and a half habang humihinga ka, this will do. Pero if you’re looking for the same emotional connection that you had with the older versions, you won’t find it here.
From all the trailers, promos, and teasers that were released last year, imposible na hindi ka ma-excite sa mga pelikulang ipapalabas ngayon taon. Out of all that information, ito ang listahan ko ng mga movies that sparked my attention. Note that not all of the big movies are included in this list. There are two possible reasons for that.
I don’t know enough about that movie.
I’m just not that interested.
These are the movies I really want to see as soon as they’re out. This is just a list. Hindi ito ranked, ok? Here we go!
1. Into The Woods. My highschool bestfriend saw this abroad and she warned me that she didn’t enjoy it too much, but I’m not that worried. I loved the original musical kaya as long as they do a fairly decent job with the music, I’m bound to love this.
2. Avengers: Age of Ultron. The first Avengers is one of the most well-written, well-crafted movies of our generation. Kaya naman hindi kataka-taka na isa rin ito sa mga pelikulang inaabangan ko. Oh, and just look at this trailer:
3. Furious 7. This franchise is one of my guilty pleasures. Yes, I know the plot’s shallow. Yep, the action sequences are getting more and more ridiculous. It’s like they’re upping the ante sa bawat pelikulang lumalabas. Remember Vin Diesel flying to save Michelle in the last one? I’m also eager to see how they spin Paul Walker’s loss sa kwento.
4. Pitch Perfect 2. Pitch Perfect was one of the movies that really got to me. My sisters and I were so much into it that we hosted viewing parties left and right. I’m pretty sure this is one of the movies that we’ll see together. I can’t wait!
5. The Hateful Eight. The Big Q assembled some of his favorite actors in this film. The script for this movie was leaked online and because of that, this was almost not turned into a movie.Buti nalang Quentin Tarantino changed his mind.
6. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. Isa sa mga candidates para sa pahabaan ng title award ang pelikulang ito. Hindi ko pa sigurado kung ano ang nararamdaman ko about this franchise pero I’m hoping that they do well with the ending. Mockingjay Part 1 was a good set up so I’m praying that it pays off. At sana ay magawa nilang ayusin ang mga hindi magagandang choices ni Suzanne Collins sa last book ng trilogy.
7. Kingsman: The Secret Service. This movie made it to the list even though the more famous and fan-loved British spy movie didn’t. I never was a Bond fan pero I saw the trailer for Kingsman and I resolved to see this in the theater. They have Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) as a gentleman spy!
8. Chappie. When I heard that Neill Blomkap and his wife, Terri Tatchell, wrote this movie, I knew I wanted to see it. District 9 blew my mind when it came out kaya I want to see how much of the human condition they will reveal using a robot.
9. Jurassic World. Dinosaurs terrify me kaya the only Jurassic Park movie I had enough courage to see was Jurassic Park. I didn’t see the others and from what I hear, that’s actually a good thing. Chris Pratt is quickly turning into Hollywood’s most bankable leading men and he headlines this movie. With dinosaurs as co-stars, it’s going to be challenging for him to keep up. I want to see this movie pero di ko siguro kakayanin in 3D. I’ll be screaming like a 3-year old.
10. Macbeth. There’s barely any information about this movie. Wala paring trailer na available online pero it stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They have great actors. I’m hoping the screenplay and direction are just as good.
11. Inside Out. I saw the trailer for this movie went we saw Big Hero 6 in the theater. The concept for this film is really creative kaya I’m sure it’s going to be very interesting. When I looked at the longer trailer released in Youtube, I got even more excited.
12. Mission: Impossible 5. There’s one reason why I want to see this movie and it’s not Tom Cruise. MI: 4 was just so good kaya I want to see what else they can do with this franchise.
13. Tomorrowland. I’m hoping that this is another hit for writer/director, Brad Bird. He’s the man responsible for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (which I just mentioned), Ratatouille, The Incredibles, and The Iron Giant – all of which I loved. Sana ay hindi tayo ma-Interstellar nitong pelikulang ito.
14. Ant-Man. Paul Rudd as a Marvel superhero? Er… I’m not so sure about that. Pero I’m willing to give it a shot. He’s one of the underrated actors of this generation. The guy deserves a break and this may just be it.
15. Jupiter Ascending. Ilang beses na na-push back ang release date ng pelikulang ito so it better be good. It stars Channing Tatum with his broad shoulders, abs, and pointy elf ears. It has a very fantasy-YA plot pero with adults playing the lead characters, there may be a problem with how we process the story. I guess we’ll see how it turns out.
I know, I know. Walang Spectre o Star Wars: The Force Awakens sa listahan na ito pero you can include those in your own list. Ano ba ang sa iyo? Comment below and I’ll do what I can to see it and write a review about it when it comes out.
Let it be known that this is the first movie I saw in the theater for 2015. Yup. When you’re stranded in Naga where there are only 3 movies playing, it was this or Feng Shui 2 and this was the lesser evil. So, how was it?
It was exactly how I expected it to be.
Hindi ako disappointed dahil hindi naman ako umasa. I was there to enjoy a few good laughs with great company kaya for its purpose, it served me well.
Ang Buod:
Praybeyt Benjamin (played by Vice Ganda) is back. This time, isa na siyang Colonel. Kaya lang dahil sa poor life choices, he finds himself stuck under the strict command of Gen. Wilson Chua (played by Richard “Ser Chief” Yap). Benjie’s new commander has a son, Bimby (No explanation necessary), who is the key to “saving” the Philippines from a terrorist group led by @janjaran_jan (played by Tom Rodriguez). Alex Gonzaga played Bimby’s yaya and provided the audience with some laugh out loud moments.
Ang Maganda:
There’s only one thing I found good about this movie. That is, that it was self-aware. Alam nila at aminado sila na cash grab ang pelikulang ito at hindi nila planong bumago ng buhay o maglantad ng matinding moral lesson.
Ang Pangit:
It’s just another generic MMFF comedy. Hindi malinis ang paglalahad ng kwento na hindi naman nakagugulat considering na wala naman talagang laman yung kwento. It was a movie composed of a number of gags na pinaghiwa-hiwalay sa isang barely cohesive na kwento. May mga cameo ng big stars. May over the top na CGI. At higit sa lahat, may nagsusumigaw at ni hindi sumubok magpasimpleng product placement.
Ang Paghuhusga:
Hindi nito babaguhin ang buhay mo. Madali mong makakalimutan ang mga punch line. Kung hindi ka handang isaisantabi ang konsepto mo ng realidad at makabuluhang entertainment, ni huwag mo na subukang pumila para rito. Save your money for something else. Go see English Only Please. Hintayin niyo nalang na ipalabas sa free TV ang pelikulang ito.
Some people host parties, others plan family reunions. This is my yearly tradition. In this post, I will list the movies I saw this year that made a huge positive impact on me. At dahil 2014 na, 14 movies ang kasama sa listahan na ito.
Just a quick note, this list is limited to the movies I saw within the year. And with this year being a really busy one for me, I wasn’t able to go and see as many movies as I usually do. Kaya kung may mga pelikulang nagustuhan mo na wala rito, maaaring hindi ko talaga napanood o sadyang magkaiba ang taste natin. Here we go!
14. LEGO Movie. “Everything is awesome! Everything’s good when you’re part of a team!”
13. A Long Way Down. This movie wasn’t perfect, pero it is a necessary and timely take on the theme of depression and suicide.
12. Guardians of the Galaxy. Marvel fans, don’t kill me for not ranking this higher pero hindi talaga ako kasing mind blown ninyo. I had a good time pero it wasn’t as strong if you look at it as a standalone movie.
11. Starting Over Again. The first Filipino movie that made it to this list is a film filled with great performances and well-written dialogues.
10. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Yup. Sequels can be better than their predecessors. This is a great proof of that. It’s a novel thing to learn more about humanity through ape characters.
9. Big Hero 6. Nakakatawa. Nakakaiyak. Nakakatuwa.
8. X-Men: Days of Future Past. This is a movie that’s bound to be hell to write pero they pulled it off. And in doing so, we have our favorite X-Men back and alive. Kung di ka parin convinced, ito lang ang masasabi ko. Quicksilver.
7. The Theory of Everything. Eddie Redmayne gave a truly Oscar-worthy performance as Stephen Hawking pero noteworthy rin ang portrayal ni Felicia Day as his wife. It was a movie thsat showed the intricacies and realities of intimate human relationshipsand how they are more important than the theory the universe.
6. How To Train Your Dragon 2. This movie managed to expand the universe without losing our affection and affinity for the original characters. I can’t wait for the next one.
5. Gone Girl. For the excellent craftsmanship ng screenplay, composition, at storytelling, imposible na hindi masama sa listahan ang pelikulang ito.
4. English Only, Please. Walang eksenang misplaced. Walang joke na hindi ako natawa. Wala akong nakitang gusto kong baguhin sa napakahusay na pelikulang ito.
3. Snowpiercer. This movie blew my mind. You have to see it.
2. About Time. This movie is this high on my list because it changed my life. Literal. It’s something that everyone has to see. This movie will make you think on your life and how you live it. Maghalaga ang mensahe, maganda ang pagkakalahad.
1. Whiplash. May nakakagulat pa ba rito? This movie is perfection. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons gave us what I see as the best performance of their lives. It was a well crafted, well acted, and truly well done movie.
Do you agree with my list? Ikaw? Ano ang mga pinaka-piling pelikula ng taong ito para sa iyo? Ilagay mo naman sa comment section below para malaman ko rin.
P.S. This post is for Stanley. Eto na, little bro. I love you.
Yep. The time has come for the Filipino audience to witness a clean and compelling romantic comedy. Just when Hollywood seems to have forgotten the formula for a good rom-com, Pinoy movie makers step in to fill the gap. Thank you, Antoinette Jadaone and Dan Villegas for giving us this gem of a film and making me believe, once again, that there is hope for this country’s film scene. Salamat ng buong puso.
I saw this movie with my family and all of us enjoyed the movie. Kahit pa the movie included themes like motmot, chikinini, etc. as plot devices, it wasn’t as uncomfortable because we all knew that they were there to add to the story. That’s the difference between this and Beauty in a Bottle. Watching this brought me back to the days of Ang Tanging Ina, Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo, and other very funny and very Filipino movies. Walang CGI monsters, walang bigating celebrity cameos, walang out-of-this-world plot, walang palabok, purong puso lang.
Ang Buod:
Jennylyn Mercado stars as Tere Madlansacay, a Filipino-English tutor who is filled with pure zest for life. Her positive outlook on life and openness contrasts with the reserved and fiercely private Julian Parker (played by Derek Ramsay). Julian is a Filipino-American who comes to the Philippines with one goal. That is, to know enough Filipino to unload a hate-driven speech to his Filipina ex-girlfriend. As they work on Julian’s Filipino (not just the language, but his identity as well), they find a common theme in both of their love lives. They are both tanga when it comes to pag-ibig and embark on a journey to fix their conditions.
Ang Maganda:
1. Derek Ramsay gave a very genuine performance as Julian. I can’t imagine anyone else playing this role. I understand why he got the Best Actor award from the MMFF Committee. It was a role that could easily turn actors into personality-deprived robots, but he managed to let us see glimpses of the real Julian behind the heartbroken facade that he puts up. This increases gradually and we see him smiling more, with an upturned corner of the mouth at first and, eventually, with his eyes.
2. The direction was solid. Each scene was a storytelling opportunity. Little things such as a glimpse or a look away is played out purposefully and the audience drank all that in. All the actors gave a very good performance and the director is to thank for that. It takes a keen eye and a gentle hand to pull that kind of performance out of an actor. It was a well-deserved win for Mr. Dan Villegas.
3. Jennylyn Mercado was just plain perfection. She wasn’t just able to give justice to the comedic moments of the movie. She also gave a very toned down and realistic portrayal of the emotionally charged scenes. Walang major, climactic, dramatic moment ang pelikulang ito. When they went to Tere’s family home, I thought magkakaroon ng malaking confrontation. Napa-“Here we go…” ako sa sarili ko dahil that type of scene have a tendency to be overly cheesy. Pero her portrayal of the pain was just enough. Saktong level lang ng sama ng loob. At kahit pa kadalasan ay asar ako sa mga tangang characters, both in real life and in movies, I can’t help but still feel for Tere. That’s not easy to pull off, ha.
4. Cai Cortez was as funny as always. Siya na talaga ang Pambansang Bestfriend ng Pilipinas. She was in Ang Turkey Man Ay Pabo Rin and Starting Over Again as the lead character’s bestfriend and in both movies, pinatawa niya rin ako ng husto. I hope that she gets her own movie soon. I’m working on a screenplay that I’m writing specifically with her as my muse called “More To Love”. Malay natin. (A girl can dream)
5. The screenplay was both simple and intricate and it was just right. I loved how little things like the line, “Traffic sa EDSA,” was planted earlier and on separate occasions. I loved how simple and discreet the dialogue was. Walang sampalan, walang barilan, walang madramang sumbatan. Ganyan naman talaga sa totoong buhay, di ba? I forgive the final scene dahil this is still a rom-com at kulang ito kung walang ganoong eksena. At ayos lang rin dahil by the time you get there, sold ka na dahil sa naunang mahigit isang oras ng character development. Usually, sa Rom-Coms, my sister and I roll our eyes at those type of scenes, pero in this one, we didn’t care. We just wanted things to work out for Tere and Julian. The writer is to thank for that.
Ang Pangit:
I can’t really think of anything right now. Really. It was that good.
Ang Paghuhusga:
It was fluid. It was so funny that the entire theater erupts into loud laughter whenever may punch line. In fact, sobrang lakas nga ang tawa ng ibang tao na hindi na halos marinig yung mga sumunod na linya dahil di pa sila tapos tumawa.
English Only Please is sure to give you a good time kahit pa bitter ka sa pag-ibig. It will make you laugh kahit pa conservative ka. It will make you proud na habang nagluluwa ng isa pang Divergent o 50 Shades of Grey ang Hollywood ay nagpapakitang gilas ang mga bago, mas fresh, at mas batang movie makers ng ating bansa.
It makes me sad to know that this movie is not showing in all theaters around the country dahil mas profitable ang magpalabas ng ibang MMFF entry. Pero if may pagkakataon ka, go and see this film. The people behind this deserve to know that you support their work.
It was a struggle to see this film as a standalone project and not be influenced by how good the other Marvel films are. Pero I tried my best and I think I managed to do that pretty well. Yun nga lang, there’s something about this movie’s soundtrack. I mean, who hears Hooked On A Feeling and doesn’t feel as giddy as a little girl with a giant red balloon. Ang di maapektuhan, di tao.
Marvel took quite a risk by making this movie. Unlike their previous comic book-based movies which featured relatively known characters like Iron Man and Captain America, most people didn’t know the Guardians of the Galaxy. I knew nothing about these characters. When Vin Diesel posted a teaser for his involvement in this project, I was so uninterested that I didn’t even look it up. Pero when I saw the trailer, I got interested. It obviously had a different tone than the Marvel movies we were used to. It was light and funny and I wanted to see how Marvel can pull that off.
Ang Buod:
[…] An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill (played by Chris Pratt) find himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan (played by Lee Pace), a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits–Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), the deadly and enigmatic Gamora (played by Zoe Saldana), and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer (played by our very own, Dave “Batista” Bautista). But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand–with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.
taken from the official website at: http://marvel.com/guardians
italicized parts added by the author
Ang Maganda:
1. The soundtrack. When I found out that this movie’s soundtrack was the only film soundtrack without an original song to land the top spot in the US Billboard 200, I wasn’t surprised. Paano ba naman, it had the best of the best. I also liked how the songs were used in the film.
2. The humor. Just when I find myself getting bored enough to think on the movie, they hit me with a funny one-liner from Rocket or a well-placed, “I am Groot,” from Groot. It was fast. It was witty. It wasn’t all stupid slapstick nonsense or dumb fart jokes that 8 year-olds could giggle about. I loved it.
3. The action. Yey for that three-way fight scene between Rocket & Groot, Gamora, and Quill.
4. The actors. Zoe Saldana was as fierce as ever. After all, playing an alien warrior isn’t new to her. Pero who knew Chris Pratt can become a superhero? He was the fat, douche-y guy from 10 years! I didn’t know that he had it in him and I was pleasantly surprised. Bradley Cooper was also perfect as the voice of Rocket.
5. GROOT! Yup. I’m one of those people willing to watch the next movie just to see Groot again. The character was just so lovable and having Vin Diesel to lend him his voice was a great choice. I couldn’t help hearing The Iron Giant, though. Pero that’s okay as he is also a giant thing with an even bigger heart.
Ang Pangit:
I didn’t care about the villain. All I could remember was “the Accuser” and that was because he had one scene in the film in which he said, “I accuse you.” Lumingon ako sa kapatid ko when that happened and I said, “Ah. Kaya naman pala ‘the Accuser’.” If they gave him more than two or three lines of voice over dialogue to explain his cause, I would’ve cared more about him. Pero I didn’t. I felt more attached to the random Nova pilot who got blown up.
If there’s anything Marvel should have learned from their previous movies, it’s that a great movie requires a great villain as much as a great hero. Just look at Loki or the Winter Soldier, di ba? O, remember The Mandarin from Iron Man 3 and how much we all hated what they did with that character? See what I mean?
Ang Paghuhusga:
This movie was set up to have a sequel at simula palang ay alam mo na. At kahit pa gusto ko rin naman na makanood ng isa pang pelikula featuring Groot and that wise-cracking raccoon, I still prefer a movie that can stand alone without an entire franchise to lean on. They were banking on the Avengers: Age of Ultron references that were scattered inside the movie. I can imagine the Marvel superfans squealing with delight sa bawat Easter egg that they see. Pero for someone who isn’t a Marvel fan, it may not be as enjoyable. It’s still a good time, though, kaya I recommend that you still see this movie.
I know. I know. It’s been months since this movie played in theaters, but the real world has caught up with me and my time was better spent elsewhere. But, since I’m very passionate about movies, I’m not going to let it stop me. So, here’s another really late post about a real work of art that everyone should see at least once in their life. If you don’t know anything about this gem, just watch the trailer below.
Ang Buod:
This movie looks like a stereotypical thriller/whodunnit, but it’s so much more. After all, what do you expect from the same man who gave us Fight Club, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and Panic Room.
It tells the story of Nick Dunne (played by Ben Affleck) who is unhappy with his marriage. On the day of their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick goes home to find his wife, Amy (played by Rosamund Pike), gone and the living room trashed. It’s 149 minutes of psychological thrills in which we sift through well-placed clues to try to figure out what really happened and who the real villain is.
Ang Maganda:
1. Rosamund Pike.
I didn’t know how talented this lady was until I saw this movie. I knew her as Jane from the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice kaya yun ang image sa utak ko when her name comes up. If you’re not a Jane Austen fan, Rosamund Pike’s character was a very shy and sweet young woman-hindi makabasag-pinggan ba. I think that improved my entire experience sa pelikulang ito dahil I already believed that dimension of her character. That’s also why I was so impressed sa contrast ng ibang facets ng kaniyang persona na dahan-dahang pinapasilip sa pelikula. She deserves recognition for her performance in this movie.
2. Ben Affleck was cast perfectly for this role.
I’m not a big Ben Affleck fan. I’m not even a Ben Affleck fan at all. Pero I get why David Fincher chose him to play this role. He has a very douche-y look kaya you don’t really know if you can trust him. Maybe it IS the chin. I don’t know. Pero I loved how they incorporated that into the movie. I couldn’t think of anyone else better to play this role.
3. The storytelling was well thought out.
This is one of those movies that required your full attention dahil the audience only knows exactly what the movie lets you see. It’s not one of those movies na alam mo na kung ano ang nangyayari kaya sumisigaw ka na sa screen in a hopeless attempt to help the obviously oblivious lead characters. At even though you figure out who’s who, you still don’t know how everything’s going to turn out kaya it keeps you hooked.
Ang Pangit:
I’m one of those people who worship the ground David Fincher walks on kaya it follows na I don’t find everything about this movie perfect. I think the movie could’ve ended a few scenes earlier than when it did. I think the last 10-15 minutes of the movie could be contained in three simple scenes and it would’ve made a bigger impact sa audience because we would be imagining what could happen. Alam mo naman ang mga tao, there’s nothing more scary than our imagined truths.
Ang Paghuhusga:
I know the movie’s long and some people may find the pacing slow pero if you can, take time to watch this movie. It’s an experience that anyone should have the chance to go through. Wag ka ring magbabasa about it o magpapakwento. This is a better movie for fresh minds. I did what I could to veer away from any information about this movie before I actually saw it and I’m giving myself a pat on the back for that brilliant idea.
I am hoping that in the future, sana buhay pa ako to see it, someone can turn Gone Girl into a mini-series. I think it would be better as that dahil mas maraming oras to explore the universe and to dig deeper into the characters. 147 minutes is long pero it’s not long enough for that.
I was planning to shoot a video review for this movie, but I seem to have lost my camera in all the holiday craziness. I couldn’t put off writing a review any later because the year’s ending and I’m preparing to post my list of top movies for the year. So, I guess we’re stuck with a written review. Here we go!
The movie starts with a single stroke role that gradually speeds up. Anyone who learned how to play the drums knows that as one of the first drills that you study. It may sound easy, but it’s not. Doing a proper roll takes hours upon hours of practice. Right at that moment, I knew that this is not going to be just any movie.
Ang Buod:
Whiplash tells the story of an ambitious and driven aspiring jazz drummer, Andrew Neiman (played by Miles Teller), and his strict to the point of madness conductor, Terence Fletcher (played by the equally scary J.K. Simmons). Andrew, who is but a freshman at the Conservatory has one dream. That is to be one of the greats like Buddy Rich and Bob Ellis. He knows that in order to be the best, the best thing that could happen to him is to be mentored by Terence Fletcher. So, when he finds Andrew practicing and asks him to be the alternate drummer for his band, Andrew drops everything and goes to great lengths to be the very best that he could be. The only problem was, he doesn’t know just how far Fletcher is willing to go to get him to the point of perfection.
Ang Maganda:
1. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons.
Imagine your worst professor, teacher, or boss. Now, make him/her twice as scary. That’s probably 10% of how traumatizing a mentor J.K. Simmons was in this movie. But, no matter how much you fear him or hate his character, J.K. Simmons manages to make you understand the motivations of his character. You never fully hate him. That is very hard to do.
Miles Teller was a revelation in this movie. In all his movies that I’ve seen so far, he always played a stereotypical frat boy, party crazed, douchebag. I caught a glimpse of how he can make a flawed character grown on you in The Spectacular Now, but I didn’t know he could make me care this much about character. I felt Andrew’s pain, both physical and emotional. I was in his shoes for most of the movie (except for the moments when I was in Terence’s shoes).
2. The writing was very sharp.
Do you know someone who spews out full quotes randomly? I’m NOT that person. I can only remember a handful and if and when I do, that means that the quote is a life-changing one. This movie was filled with those. J.K. Simmons had this line in which he said that:
“There is no two words in the English language more harmful than, ‘Good job.’ I push people beyond what’s expected of them. I believe that’s an absolute necessity.”
I love that quote because I give my students, proteges, and protegees a speech of the same nature. Mine’s way longer, but I’m considering just using this quote to save class time.
The characters in this movie didn’t have monologues or voice overs. The lines were few, but, man, did they count!
3. The imagery in the movie were unforgettable.
It’s a beautiful, well-shot, well-lighted film. That scene with the tray of ice will stay in my mind for the rest of my life.
Damien Chazelle wrote and directed the film and he caught my attention. I found out that he, too, was a drummer and I think that helped him help the audience see and feel Andrew’s struggles. I am looking forward to more from this man.
4. The scoring was on point.
Music isn’t there to just keep the audience occupied. It makes the audience feel these things in their chest called feelings.
Ang Pangit:
Nothing, really. I do have to warn you that this may not be an easy film to watch. If you want a movie about music that makes you feel warm and fuzzy and generally, happy, then go and watch Raise Your Voice. This movie is exponentially darker, and can be a tad bit slower than normal, but it is better in so many ways.
Ang Paghuhusga:
This isn’t a movie that you can watch out of the corner of your eye in a tiny window in your desktop while you’re working on something else. This is the kind of movie that yells at you to close all your other tabs and windows, hit the full screen button, lean in, devote 106 minutes to watch it, and the rest of the day/week/month to get over it.
If you ask me what this year’s best movie is, the answer’s easy. Whiplash will always be in my list of movies that rocked my world. Drummer or not, teacher or not, film buff or not, anyone who went through challenges in life can relate to this film. The fact that I am a drummer and a teacher who loves movies and who is in a constant struggle to find my corner of the sky made this movie mean even more for me. But, even if you’re not, I bet it will rock your world, too.
Piling Pelikula 